Chapter 45: Persistence

Whirr— Whirr—

On the way down after the meeting, the phone in my pocket vibrated noisily.

When I took it out to check the caller, it was a familiar name.

[Reporter Lee Doyeon]

It was about time they contacted me.

Since I hadn’t said anything since our last call, it made sense that they’d start getting curious.

The final stepping stone I’d prepared for winning first place in this team mission.

Its name: “Taking Down the Junkie.”

I answered the phone with a resolute tone.

“Yes, it’s been a while.”

—I’ve been waiting forever. How have you been?

Now they were even checking in on me.

I let out a dry chuckle and quickened my pace.

I was looking for a spot where no one would be around.

“Yes, I’ve been doing well. Just busy with practice.”

Step, step.

Only after finding a storage room where my voice wouldn’t leak out did I readjust my grip on the phone.

“What’s the reason for your call?”

—A scoop?

“Ha ha….”

—You know. I’ve been racking my brain day and night, wondering when to drop this.

Reporter Lee Doyeon answered honestly in a cheerful voice.

That bait I had tossed her back then was the kind any journalist would go wild for.

A rising star ahead of a new release, and the top-ranking trainee of a trending show.

There were plenty of people who’d get caught up in such an article.

If it were published, the buzz would last for days.

Reporter Lee Doyeon, sounding excited, began speaking rapidly.

—Just holding onto this huge scoop is making my hands itch. It might not matter when it’s released for you, Seohan, but not for me.

The reason she gave was even more ridiculous.

—That actor’s about to start their next project, and if we drop it right after the release, it’ll have the most impact and attention, right?

“Wow.”

Are you the devil?

—It’s all about timing in journalism, you know? You should remember that, Do Seohan. Oh wait, maybe you won’t need to?

“…….”

I laughed hollowly and sighed.

Her voice, overly cheerful yet chilling, reminded me of someone with a cheerful madness in their eyes.

No wonder people say birds of a feather flock together.

Every time I saw this reporter, someone came to mind.

Regardless, Reporter Lee Doyeon kept talking without pause.

—Anyway, I’ve been waiting so long that my hands are starting to shake. I’m worried I might accidentally hit enter and upload it from a tremor.

“You’re really in a hurry.”

—Getting older makes you impatient about everything. So, could you finally tell me when to publish it? Do Seohan?

I swallowed hard at her clear voice.

“Hmm….”

Publishing it now wouldn’t be a problem.

No—if I wanted to take first place in this round, the sooner it went out, the better.

There wasn’t much time left before the third round.

“I’ve made my decision.”

I looked up, clutching the phone tightly.

This kind of thing wasn’t really my style.

Even so, a surprisingly calm voice came out.

“This week, let’s do it.”

—Great! Thanks for the quick decision!

Back came a voice that also didn’t suit the situation at all.

That crazy reporter.

It seemed I’d need quite a bit of time to adjust to that infamous personality of hers.

The more we talked, the more drained I felt.

I was about to end the call when—

—By the way, Do Seohan. Do you have a sibling?

I raised my eyebrows and grabbed the phone again.

“What?”

I already knew about Reporter Lee Doyeon’s information network, but this one caught me off guard.

How did she find out about a family relationship I hadn’t even revealed on the show?

The only family I’d mentioned on-air were my parents.

I had never once brought up my older brother, who was a regular person.

“…….”

Maybe she took my silence as a bad sign, because she quickly tried to explain.

—Don’t misunderstand! I didn’t do a background check! It was just… I met him by chance. Really!

“…By chance?”

—He’s a rookie PD at SBC broadcasting station. I didn’t know you had such connections. And wow, you two look alike. Your brother’s really good-looking. Why didn’t you ever say anything?

“Is he your type?”

—Yes… I mean… what?

I hadn’t had a specific reason to keep it secret.

I just didn’t have any reason to bring it up.

I let out a small chuckle and adjusted my grip on the phone.

“Just something I said.”

So that’s how they met.

At the broadcasting station, huh?

It felt like I was witnessing a distant scene from the past.

Because—

The truth was, I already knew Reporter Lee Doyeon because…

She was my brother’s ex-girlfriend.

Reporter Lee Doyeon wasn’t exactly known for a sweet temperament, and her ex was no pushover either.

I clearly remembered them breaking up after a massive fight.

Not that I had any right to interfere in someone else’s love life, but—

I hoped they didn’t break up again.

“Just giving you a heads-up, his personality is pretty nasty, so be careful.”

—W-What? All of a sudden?

Click—

I ended the call with that half-warning.

“Seohan, you’re here?”

After the call, I went to the practice room and saw Seo Ian stepping out of the soundproof booth, drenched in sweat.

I waved without thinking, then suddenly felt something was off.

He had been practicing vocals, not dancing.

How could he be sweating like it was pouring rain?

I looked at him, alarmed.

“Did you shower in there?”

“I really did train super hard….”

Seo Ian chuckled and scratched his head.

He must have been thirsty, as he chugged down water, but it didn’t seem to hydrate him enough.

His voice was slightly hoarse when he spoke.

He had always been a diligent person, but this mission had changed something in his eyes.

The gaze of a lifelong softie now filled with fierce determination.

You could feel from his energy that he was pouring everything into this.

It was because he had taken the position of main vocal in this team.

‘I’ll give it a try—main vocal.’

Following my advice, Seo Ian had applied for main vocal instead of center, and successfully claimed the spot.

“How is it, being main vocal?”

“It’s great. Every day feels fresh and thrilling.”

Wow, I didn’t know he could even say stuff like that.

Seo Ian stretched and responded to me with a refreshed expression.

Thanks to that clear motivation, his vocal skills were improving rapidly.

If there was still one issue left….

“I feel like I’m a bit clumsy.”

Seo Ian carefully admitted, scratching his head.

A commendable level of self-awareness.

He had the athletic coordination of something like tofu—soft and wobbly.

Objectively speaking, he wasn’t quite at “total clutz” level, but his movements did lack finesse.

If I had to summarize, it’s not that he was bad, just a little disappointing?

No—actually, quite disappointing?

Even Seo Ian, who had always been called plain, was now clenching his teeth with determination.

And that’s why I was here.

I looked at him intently and opened my mouth.

“I told you back then.”

“Yeah, that you’d… help me debut.”

Seo Ian smiled brightly and nodded.

“Let’s go, hyung.”

Now it was time for special training.

Why do you keep messing with my heart

Keep on messing with it

Bouncing, bouncing, my love

Now I want to be the one to mess with you

Spin around once, drop down quickly, then spring up again—the choreography.

The choreographers really went all in; it was way more intense than expected.

No, seriously, it was inhumane.

The song was so cheerful and bright.

They told us to smile while singing, but then created choreography that made smiling impossible.

Of course….

“You’re insanely good.”

After almost ten years of doing this for a living, my body flew with ease.

Even in my second life, my naturally gifted dance lines stood out effortlessly.

Seo Ian kept gasping in awe, trying to imitate my movements.

He was rather flexible in motion.

“Don’t try to flow through every move. Instead, hit each point clearly and break them up.”

“…Like this?”

“With impact, if possible. Think of it like giving power all at once and then releasing it.”

Still, he definitely had talent.

Once I pointed something out, he never messed up that part again.

“Honestly, you’re not clumsy, hyung.”

“Really?”

“Yes, if you say that somewhere, people will throw stones.”

If true clutzes heard that, they’d pelt him with rocks.

Even the parts that had been stiff when he practiced alone, he caught on quickly once I guided him.

I’ll be annoying

I’ll hover right in front of you

I’ll poke, poke at your heart, baby

“At this part, bounce your body back once. Then flick your arms down quickly. Easy, right?”

“Teacher, you’re going too fast.”

“One and two and three, du-du-dung. Whack!”

“Whack!”

“Like you’re striking down!”

“…That’s really the move?”

“Of course.”

Seo Ian laughed as he forcefully flicked down his arms.

It had much more power than before.

I’ll be annoying

I’ll hover right in front of you

I’ll poke, poke at your heart, baby

“Spin your fingers!”

“Spin once and stand up right away!”

“That’s not the right shoulder angle. Again!”

Even after three straight hours of what could only be called special training, Seo Ian barely took a break.

He should’ve been tired, but his eyes were unusually full of life today.

A madman with clear eyes.

For some reason, that phrase came to mind.

Was he in the same league as Jin Sehyun?

I’d started this thinking I’d work him hard, but now I was the one getting exhausted.

“Haah… Huff. I’m dying.”

I panted and leaned my head against the wall.

After demonstrating alongside this crazed hyung, I was just as drained.

“Should we take a short break?”

“Yeah, just rest a bit…. I’ll keep matching the moves for a while.”

“…?”

The chorus of “Poke” kept ringing in my ears like an auditory hallucination—I felt like I’d heard it a thousand times already.

Seo Ian murmured softly with his tofu-like face.

“Ah, still not good enough…. Did I not practice enough?”

Ah.

“Seohan, should we go until dawn?”

Ahhh.

“Please.”

We’d done enough for today.

This schedule was brutal enough to make me consider hunting down one of Ha Junseo’s caffeine potions.

“If you keep going, you’ll collapse.”

“Nah, people don’t collapse that easily just from practice.”

He smiled as he brushed off my concern.

He really seemed to plan on staying up all night, and I clicked my tongue beside him.

“Don’t overdo it too much.”

He didn’t exactly look like the hardiest person, so I added that nagging comment.

But it wasn’t him who collapsed.

.

.

.

“What’s going on?”

I snapped my head up at the murmurs echoing from the hallway.

There had been strange noises coming from outside for a while.

Thudding and the sound of trainees running, followed by voices saying someone needed to contact the staff.

Seo Ian opened the door with wide eyes.

I followed behind and peeked my head out.

As expected, something felt wrong.

It was prime practice time—no one should be hanging out, and yet a crowd had gathered around a door.

You could tell from afar.

“Hyung, I think something happened.”

“Did someone collapse?”

The atmosphere among the trainees crowding around the door was tense.

Seo Ian approached with a worried look.

I also stepped forward to assess the situation.

Just then—

Jin Sehyun burst out from the door.

Normally so calm, his face was pale, like he was in a complete panic.

That’s when I realized.

It was the practice room used by Team Betters.

I quickly grabbed Jin Sehyun’s arm as he rushed to call a staff member.

“Hyung, what happened?”

“It’s… ha…”

Jin Sehyun wiped the sweat off his forehead, gasping for breath.

“Junseo hyung collapsed.”

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